Perplexity has launched an internet browser, Comet, providing customers a have a look at how the corporate is evolving past AI search.
Whereas Comet shares acquainted traits with Chrome, it introduces a distinct interface mannequin. One the place customers can search, navigate, and run agent-like duties from a single AI-powered surroundings.
A Browser Designed for AI-Native Workflows
Comet is constructed on Chromium and helps customary browser options like tabs, extensions, and bookmarks.
What units it aside is the inclusion of a sidebar assistant that may summarize pages, automate duties, schedule conferences, and fill out varieties.
You may see it in motion within the launch video beneath:
In an interview, Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas described Comet as a step towards combining search and automation right into a single system.
Srinivas mentioned:
“We give it some thought as an assistant fairly than a whole autonomous agent however one omni field the place you may navigate, you may ask formational queries and you may give agentic duties and your AI with you in your new tab web page, in your aspect automotive, as an assistant on any internet web page you might be, makes the browser really feel like extra like a cognitive working system fairly than simply one more browser.”
Perplexity sees Comet as a basis for agentic computing. Future use instances might contain real-time analysis, recurring process administration, and private information integration.
Technique Behind the Shift
Srinivas mentioned Comet isn’t only a product launch, it’s a long-term guess on browsers as the subsequent main interface for AI.
He described the transfer as a response to rising consumer demand for AI instruments that do greater than reply to queries in chat home windows.
Srinivas mentioned:
“The browser is far tougher to repeat than one more chat device.”
He acknowledged that OpenAI and Anthropic are more likely to launch related instruments, however believes the technical challenges of constructing and sustaining a browser create an extended runway for Perplexity to distinguish.
A Completely different Strategy From Google
Srinivas additionally commented on the aggressive panorama, together with how Perplexity’s technique differs from Google’s.
He pointed to the strain between AI-driven solutions and ad-based monetization as a limiting issue for conventional engines like google.
Referring to look outcomes the place advertisers compete for placement, Srinivas mentioned:
“When you get direct solutions to those questions with reserving hyperlinks proper there, how are you going to mint cash from Reserving and Expedia and Kayak… It’s not of their incentive to present you good solutions in any respect.”
He additionally mentioned Google’s rollout of AI options has been slower than anticipated:
“The identical function is being launched 12 months after 12 months after 12 months with a distinct identify, with a distinct VP, with a distinct group of individuals, however it’s the identical factor besides perhaps it’s getting higher however it’s by no means getting launched to everyone.”
Accuracy, Velocity, and UX as Priorities
Perplexity is positioning Comet round three core rules: accuracy, low latency, and clear presentation.
Srinivas mentioned the corporate continues to spend money on lowering hallucinations and rushing up responses whereas preserving consumer expertise on the middle.
Srinivas added:
“Let there exist 100 chat bots however we’re probably the most centered on getting as many solutions proper as potential.”
Internally, the crew depends on AI growth instruments like Cursor and GitHub Copilot to speed up iteration and testing.
Srinivas famous:
“We made it necessary to make use of not less than one AI coding device and internally at Perplexity it occurs to be Cursor and like a mixture of Cursor and GitHub Copilot.”
Srinivas mentioned the browser supplies the construction wanted to help extra advanced workflows than a standalone chat interface.
What Comes Subsequent
Comet is at present out there to customers on Perplexity’s Max plan by early entry invitations. A broader launch is anticipated, together with plans for cellular help sooner or later.
Srinivas mentioned the corporate is exploring enterprise fashions past promoting, together with subscriptions, usage-based pricing, and affiliate transactions.
“All I do know is subscriptions and utilization based mostly pricing are going to be a factor. Transactions… taking a reduce out of the transactions is nice.”
Whereas he doesn’t anticipate to match Google’s margins, he sees room for a viable different.
“Google’s enterprise mannequin is probably the most effective enterprise mannequin ever… Possibly it was so good that you simply wanted AI to kill it mainly.”
Trying Forward
Comet’s launch marks a shift in how AI instruments are being built-in into consumer workflows.
Slightly than including assistant options into present merchandise, Perplexity is constructing a brand new interface from the bottom up, designed round velocity, reasoning, and process execution.
As the corporate continues to construct round this mannequin, Comet might function a take a look at case for a way customers have interaction with AI past conventional search.
Featured Picture: Ascannio/Shutterstock
